


Camping Extravaganza

by MissMouse1421



Series: Finding a Balance [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Angst with a Happy Ending, Camping, Eventual Established Realationship, Exes Fighting, Explicit Language, Finding a Balance Sequel, Fluff and Angst, Friends bonding, Fun At The Beach, Lots Of Kiba Pissing Off Gaara, M/M, Multi, Naruto AU, Naruto Trying To Get Into Sasuke's Pants, Secret Relationship (Sorta), Seme Uzumaki Naruto, Some Humor, Suggestive Themes, Uke Uchiha Sasuke
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-26
Updated: 2016-02-17
Packaged: 2018-05-15 23:10:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5803981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissMouse1421/pseuds/MissMouse1421
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Naruto convinces Sasuke to join him and his friends for a weekend camping trip, thinking it would be a great way for Sasuke to really get to know everyone. Unfortunately, things take a turn for the worst when Sakura shows up unannounced and determined to get Naruto alone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Camping Extravaganza: Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! Betcha thought you were never gonna get a sequel to Finding a Balance, huh? Yes? Good. Because neither did I. XD In all honesty guys I have jotted down a few ideas that are just too tempting not to write and share with all of you. I know I said this the first time, but I'll say it again. You aren't going to find a real plot here. If I continue this into a little mini series it'll just be one shots filled with fluffy/angsty goodness. This should be the only chapter that addresses some unresolved issues between our lovebirds. But, who knows. I never seem to stick to my plans anyway. :P 
> 
> It's good to be back! I hope you guys enjoy. :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or anything related to it. Alls I gots is my own plotssss. (Yay! I brought it back!)

"Flashlight... check. Extra jackets... check. Batteries... Batteries?" Sasuke double checked all the pockets on his suitcase and even his own pockets, but the batteries were no where to be found. "Naruto?" Sasuke called down the hallway as he was putting the rest of his things in his suitcase. "Yeah?" came the muffled response from the bathroom. "Do you know where the batteries are? I could have sworn I put them on the pile." Naruto didn't answer right away so Sasuke figured he just didn't know and continued to search. He had been going over his check list in the living room so he decided to lift up the cushions on the couch just in case anything had fallen between the seats.

Nada.

"Looking for these?" Sasuke was momentarily startled when a hand appeared in front of his face holding an unopened pack of batteries. The Uchiha smiled and took the package. "Thanks."

Naruto leaned in and kissed his temple before walking to the other side of the couch and looking down at Sasuke's progress. "I should have gotten you to do my packing for me," he said, impressed by Sasuke's organizing skills. "It never hurts to be thorough," Sasuke replied, still staring down at his list. "Should I bring extra shampoo? I don't know about you, but I like to shower every morning. I should probably bring another little bottle." Sasuke finally looked up when he noticed Naruto chuckling. "What?" he asked confused. "Sasuke, there aren't any showers."

"Huh?"

"No showers. We're roughing it."

"'Roughing it'?"

Naruto had to hold himself back from laughing at Sasuke's lost puppy look. "That's what the ocean is for. Just grab a bar of soap and you're good to go." Naruto was expecting some kind of glare in response, but Sasuke, surprisingly, said nothing. "What are you doing?" Naruto asked curiously as the Uchiha furiously began unpacking his bag. "I'm not going," he mumbled stubbornly. "Oh come on, Sasuke. It'll be fun."

"How did I even agree to this in the first place?"

"Because I asked and I'm cute." Sasuke smirked up at his cheeky boyfriend. "I seem to recall relentless begging and flattery."

"Well, yeah. That too, but it's mostly because you wanted to expand your horizons. You told me yourself, remember? You said you wanted to try new things. Well, this is new. I still can't believe you've never gone camping before." Sasuke shrugged before sitting on the couch next to his things. "I guess I never really thought about it. Itachi's always been more of an indoor person. I didn't really have the opportunity to go."

Naruto frowned at hearing this. Sometimes he could forget how differently Sasuke had grown up compared to his own childhood. It made him sad that Sasuke didn't have the same opportunities as he did. The Uchiha had probably missed out on a lot of things that Naruto didn't even know about yet. What was strange, however, is that none of this seemed to affect him. Sasuke never complained or appeared to hold a grudge. He was just Sasuke. Always moving forward, never looking back. This thought made Naruto smile again, if only for a brief moment.

"What about you?" Sasuke asked. "Did you camp a lot when you were young?"

"Oh yeah. Tons." Naruto hopped over the back of the couch and landed next to Sasuke with a thump. "One summer my parents packed up the motor home and drove us around to 4 or 5 different campsites. It was the longest 4 weeks of my life, but it was so worth it." Naruto grinned at the memory bringing a smile to Sasuke's face as well. "We hiked, we swam, ate, played games. But my favourite would have to be sitting around the fire and eating s'mores. I would always beg my dad to let me start the fire... I don't think he actually let me until I was 13."

"That's nice..."

Naruto smirked at Sasuke's obvious hesitation. "You're going to love it too. I promise. Just you, me and the great outdoors."

"And Kiba and Gaara and Ino..." Sasuke continued on a little bitterly. Spending the weekend camping with just Naruto would have been enough, probably quite enjoyable, but Sasuke wasn't really sure about the others.

"You remembered to invite Hinata, right?" Naruto asked hopefully.

"Yes, but I still don't know why you were pushing it so hard."

"You're friends, aren't you?"

"Not really... We only see each other in book club. Besides, I seriously doubt you wanting me to bring a friend along was the only reason for inviting her." Naruto hopped up out of his seat and offered Sasuke his hand which, of course, Sasuke took almost immediately. "You caught me." Naruto shrugged half heartedly. "I wanna set her up with Kiba. I think she would be good for him."

"And what exactly has Hinata done to deserve this punishment?" Sasuke asked with an arched eyebrow as Naruto helped him to his feet. "Now now, play nice. He'd never admit it, but he's been pretty lonely lately. I figured a girlfriend might cheer him up." Naruto headed down the hall and disappeared into his bedroom, most likely to grab the rest of his things, leaving Sasuke to grumble to himself in the living room.

If Sasuke was being completely honest, he wasn't nearly as agitated as he portrayed himself to be. In fact, Sasuke would even go as far to say he was excited. Naruto hadn't been lying earlier. Sasuke really did want to try new things. Especially now that he and Naruto were dating. Sasuke wanted to share Naruto's world, no matter how different it may be from his own. The only problem was, Sasuke was still a very reserved person. He was used to being on his own, not surrounded by his rowdy peers. Being around Naruto's friends was going to take some getting used to, but that was fine because Sasuke was willing to make the effort. If it would make Naruto happy, Sasuke would try.

* * *

 The two men were on the road by 11:30 driving through the woods on a road that Sasuke was convinced had been made by woods people. When Naruto asked him what that even meant, Sasuke told him they were very similar to the people from The Hills Have Eyesand left it at that.

The campsite was about an hour away from their college so Sasuke tried to sneak in a quick nap while Naruto drove. It was oddly peaceful for Naruto with the radio lightly playing in the background and Sasuke asleep in the seat beside him. Naruto was absolutely thrilled that Sasuke had agreed to come with him. The two hadn't really done anything too adventurous since they started dating. Sure they went out to a fancy dinner every once in awhile, but it wasn't very exciting. As long as Sasuke was there Naruto had no real complaints, but it never hurts to spice things up a bit.

 Thanks to a lack of traffic, Naruto and Sasuke found themselves at their destination right on time. Sasuke could swear that Naruto was almost vibrating with excitement as they slowly drove past a big wooden sign at the entrance of the campgrounds. "Sasuke, welcome to camp Toogit," Naruto announced proudly.

 Sasuke leaned over in his seat to stare out the window while Naruto checked them in and was given the campground number. Sasuke had to admit, the area was nice. The tall trees shading the campsites, the smell of the ocean just around the corner, the endless number of trails just waiting to be explored. It was a good spot. Not too shabby for Sasuke's first camping experience. However, the Uchiha didn't let himself get too memorized by the beauty of nature as they drove past the portapotties. This was when he was reminded, yet again, of the lack of showers and indoor plumbing.

 "Keep an eye out for 36 and 37."

 Naruto and Kiba had booked a double campsite, claiming it would be easier for all of them to take part in the festivities they had planned with more space. Sasuke could only assume that meant getting drunk off their asses and having sex in their tents.

 Speaking of sex...

 "You should know, under no circumstances will I be having sex with you on this trip." Naruto accidentally stepped down on the brake, surprised by the out of the blue declaration coming from his boyfriend, causing the car to jerk forward. Sasuke rolled his eyes as Naruto quickly regained his composure and had the car running smoothly once again down the dirt roads. "Any particular reason why?" he asked, still a little taken aback by Sasuke's announcement. Sasuke shrugged an uninterested shoulder as he counted down the numbers until they reached their site. "First of all, we will not be alone on this trip. Second of all, I am not having sex outside. It's dirty."

 "That's what makes it fun," Naruto said with a smirk, earning a sour glare from the Uchiha. "I'm serious, Naruto. No funny business or I'll be bunking with someone else tonight." Sasuke didn't know where he would go if he actually made good on his threat, but he hoped the idea would be enough to keep the blonde's hands to himself. "36 and 37. There." Sasuke pointed out his window, effectively putting an end to the conversation. Naruto chuckled and shook his head before backing into the campsite with the assistance of Kiba, who was waving his arms around obnoxiously in the rear view mirror. Once parked, Naruto unclipped his seat belt, popped the trunk and hopped out of the car, greeting Kiba with a loud shout and pat on the back. Sasuke was a little slower with his exit. As soon as he stepped outside, Sasuke's nostrils were filled with the sent of pine needles and salty ocean air. Gaara, who had hitched a ride with Kiba, was busy setting up his tent, but stopped momentarily to wave at Sasuke. Sasuke waved back before Kiba came striding up to him. "Oh goodie, you brought Mr Clean," Kiba said in a playful tease. Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed in irritation. "Is this going to be a reoccurring thing with you?" he asked slightly apprehensive. "What?"

 "Calling me 'Mr Clean'. What's up with that anyway?" Kiba pretended to get all offensive earning him a quick smirk from the blonde. "Why Sasuke. You should be honoured. Having a nickname means I can actually tolerate you."

 "You never gave me a nickname," Naruto commented as he started unpacking their supplies out of the trunk.

 Kiba smirked. "Not one you know about anyway."

"Great. Then you two can share a tent. That's what you wanted, right Sasuke?" The look of dread on both Sasuke's and Kiba's face was enough to make Naruto laugh and even get Gaara to chuckle.

 Sasuke quickly helped Naruto unload the rest of their stuff and then offered to help put the tent up. "You need to attach these poles then slide them into the coloured sleeves. Once the tent is raised, you'll want to stick the end of the poles on these little pins at each corner, like so." Naruto demonstrated as Sasuke followed his every move with persice concentration. "You got it?" Sasuke quickly nodded and repeated Naruto's actions as quickly and efficiently as he could. The Uchiha was determined not to make a fool out of himself from his sheer lack of experience. He wanted to be useful. If there was one thing Sasuke was good at, it was learning new skills.

 While the boys worked on their tents, Naruto asked where the girls were.

 "They wanted to take a third car," Kiba said as he cracked the first of many beers to come.

 "Why?" Naruto questioned.

 "Hell if I know. Said they needed more room."

 Sasuke's eyebrow rose quizzically. "They're aware this is only a weekend trip, right?" Naruto couldn't help but crack a smile in Sasuke's direction.

 See, Sasuke was already fitting in, cracking jokes and bringing out that witty personality of his. Naruto knew it would turn out like this. Sasuke had been worried about nothing. Naruto had a really good feeling about this trip. This would be good for him. Good for the both of them.

 When Sasuke struggled to drape the cover over the tent, Naruto put his height to good use and grabbed a corner and helped him slide it over the top. "Thanks," Sasuke said, looking a little bashful. Naruto just grinned and clapped him on the shoulder with a congratulatory smack. "Nice job. Should do the trick."

"Hey, Naruto." At hearing his name, Naruto turned around to face Gaara who was kneeling down by the fire pit. "We're gonna cook up some hot dogs for lunch. Wanna start this thing?" Naruto's eyes lit up in an adorably excited way before he giddily walked over to meet the red head. "Hell yeah I do." Sasuke watched with a fond smile as Naruto started gathering sticks and twigs around the campsite for kindling, a certain kind of skip in his step, bordering on a dance. "Is this some sort of macho thing?" Sasuke asked Kiba absentmindedly when the brunette passed by him holding a bag of hot dog buns. Kiba shrugged as he dropped the bag onto the picnic table and brushed off a few fallen pine needles. "Dude's weird," was all he contributed to the conversation before wandering off to gather all the appropriate condiments for their lunch.

Sasuke playfully rolled his eyes at Naruto's excited whooping when he caught a flame and managed to keep it going. The Uchiha went back to the car and pulled out a travel size pump from under the seat before ducking into their tent and unrolling the mattress Naruto had already left inside. No showers and proper toilets were one thing, but Sasuke absolutely refused to spend his weekend sleeping on the hard ground. Naruto agreed to the small compromise, although Sasuke wouldn't be surprised if he woke up in the morning to find the big dope sleeping on the ground, just so he can get the full 'camping experience'.

 When Sasuke had finished pumping up the mattress, the four men pulled up a chair and engaged in idle chit chat as they roasted their hot dogs over the fire. A fire that Naruto was way too proud of to stop grinning even for a second. It wasn't until 12:15 that a familiar car pulled into the campsite neighbouring theirs. "Honey, I'm home!" Ino announced happily as she slipped out of the drivers seat. The men abandoned their lunch in favour of heading over to the car and helping the girls unpack. Hinata waved sheepishly at Sasuke earning her a sympathetic smile in return. Clearly, she was just as nervous as Sasuke was. It almost made him feel more at ease knowing someone else was sharing his doubts.

 He was definitely going to try and create a friendship between them that went beyond a short meeting every other week.

 Sasuke went on to introduce Hinata to the rest of the group when Ino suddenly pulled Naruto off to the side out of ear shot. "Don't hate me," she said abruptly, nervously looking between Naruto and her car. Naruto tilted his head in confusion. "What do you mean?" he asked. "It was so last minute. I hadn't planned- I mean I wasn't scheming or anything. I probably should have called- scratch that - Iknow I should have called you, but I knew there was no way you'd come if I did. I know you told me to leave it alone, but I wanna help, you know? Maybe you won't see it that way, but I just want you to know that I'm sorry and I love you and-" Before Ino could continue her nervous rambling, the backseat of her car opened and a third body slipped out onto the dirt. Naruto had the good sense not to groan too audibly as Sakura waved a timid, nervous hand in his direction.

 So much for his fun weekend.

 


	2. Camping Extravaganza: Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! We're back once again! Without further a due, please enjoy part 2!
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or anything related to it. Alls I gots is my own plotssss.

Sasuke cringed as Ino let out another ear piercing scream that echoed through the campsites.

"NARUTO LET ME GO!" she screeched while pounding into his back with her fists. After Sakura made her surprise (and less than welcomed) appearance, Naruto had immediately bent down and lung Ino over his shoulder. He walked out of the campsite, ignoring everyone's questioning eyes, and started heading down a trail that would leadhim to the ocean. Sasuke quickly hurried after them in hopes of avoiding any awkwardness with Sakura, at least for the time being.

To say Sasuke was less than thrilled to see the pinkette was the understatement of the century. After their last talk, Sasuke didn't really know where the two of them stood. All he knew for sure was he wasn't entirely comfortable around her anymore. He assumed Naruto wasn't handling it too well either, if the abduction of one of his closest friends was anything to go by. He wasn't exactly sure what was going through the blonde's head when he first saw her, but he knew eventually they were going to have to talk about it. He wished Sakura would stop being such a problem for them, but if Naruto couldn't even see her without having a meltdown, Sasuke knew it was something they would have to deal with sooner rather than later. Especially now that they had established their relationship. Whether they liked it or not, Sakura wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

"PUT ME DOWN YOU NEANDERTHAL!" Ino screamed while she trashed wildly at his back. Naruto rolled his eyes dismissively as he shifted Ino's weight on his shoulder into a more comfortable position. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!"

"I'm gonna throw your ass in the ocean!" Naruto yelled back as he stepped out onto the beach. Sasuke probably should have said something at this point or at least tried to stop him, but in all honesty the whole performance was rather entertaining. He was sure it wouldn't win him any friendship points with Ino, but in the moment that didn't seem to bother him enough to stop Naruto. "I can't swim!" Ino squawked back as Naruto brought them closer and closer to the water's edge. "I don't care." Naruto shot back. "You bastard! You know I can swim!"

"That's disappointing."

"NARUTO!" Naruto stopped a few steps away from the approaching tide and rolled his eyes dramatically before turning around and putting Ino back on the ground. He had no intention of actually throwing her in. It was only meant to scare her and give him an excuse to leave the camp. Besides, she would have slit his throat if he had ruined her expensive outfit.

Ino quickly punched him in the shoulder and then immediately proceeded to shout profanities about her knuckles being broken. For a split second Naruto had the urge to punch her back. He didn't, obviously. But it sure as hell was tempting. "Have you lost your goddamn mind?!" Ino shrieked as Sasuke slowly approached them from behind. He wasn't even sure the two had even noticed him following them. "Oh I am _so sorry_ , Ino. It must be just _awful_ being thrown off guard like that. I can't even _begin_ to imagine what _that's_ like." Naruto's voice was dripping in sarcasm as he glared down at the blonde in front of him.

"I already told you I was sorry!" Ino let out an annoyed huff when Naruto scoffed and let his eyes wander down the beach, a sure sign he was trying to ignore her apology. "What the hell's your problem anyway? You're acting like a child! This is _Sakura_. She's not some kind of disease. I don't understand why you're trying to avoid her like she's the freakin' plaque or something." Naruto's eyes quickly snapped back to meet Ino's. His voice was clipped as he spoke. Sasuke could tell he was quickly losing his patience. "Do you listen to anything I say at all? I told you, Ino. I told you it was over. Why can't you just leave it alone? I asked you to leave it alone and then you go and do something like this. Jesus, do I have to stop trusting you too?" Apparently those words struck a chord in Ino because the fight quickly drained out of her. Her eyes softened as she lowered her voice and tried her best to keep the peace between them. "Naruto, whether you want to see it that way or not, I really _am_ trying to help you. You can deny it all you want, but what Sakura did is still eating at you. I know it is! I know you're all about the trust thing and you won't let it go until things are resolved."

"It's resolved." Naruto's voice sounded strained coming out of his mouth, like he didn't really believe what he was saying was the truth. "I already talked to her weeks ago, after I found out what happened. I told her that was it. I told her we were done. She took the hint so why can't you?"

"Because I know you don't mean that! Look me in the eye and tell me that having things go back to the way they were before this whole mess happened wouldn't make you happy. Go on, say it." Naruto's eyes briefly glanced over to meet Sasuke's. The Uchiha was a little startled by the sudden acknowledgment, but he still managed to catch the hint of a smile on Naruto's face before his eyes were once again back on Ino. "I don't want things to go back to the way they were," he said with the upmost confidence. Sasuke's cheeks tinted pink and his heart stuttered in his chest realizing the hidden meaning behind his words.

Ino frowned, obviously not getting the response she was hoping for. "Okay, fine. Maybe not the exact same way, but I want my friends to be able to hang out with each other without feeling like I have to walk on eggshells to make everyone happy. And I know you want that too. Now please— _please_ just promise me you will try. That's all I'm asking for here." Naruto seemed to consider this for a moment, eventually sighing and dropping his shoulders. "Don't expect a miracle," he said hoping to lower her expectations. "And be prepared to kiss my ass for the rest of the weekend as part of your punishment. Otherwise, I'm diving in and I'm taking you with me." Naruto flashed her the hint of a smile to show he was teasing (sorta) before reaching out and ruffling her hair playfully like he would sometimes do to Konohamaru. Unlike Konohamaru, instead of sinking her teeth into his hand and calling him names, Ino closed her eyes and giggled before pushing his hand away and smiling up at him. Sure, Naruto was still pissed at her for keeping him in the dark, but he knew that in her own messed up way she was only trying to do what she thought was best for him.

She was obviously wrong, but it was the thought that counts.

Ino eventually turned around and was clearly startled by Sasuke's presence. She uttered a quick greeting before racing back up the beach and disappearing down the path. The two men watched her leave before Sasuke looked back and took a step closer to his boyfriend. "You gonna be okay?" he asked with a sympathetic smile. Naruto shrugged half heartedly as he swung an arm over the Uchiha's shoulders. "As much as I hate to admit it, Ino's right. Since when do I hide from people like this? It's pathetic." The two slowly made their way back up the beach, taking their time to prolong the inevitable shit hitting the fan when they got back to camp. "I'm a mature adult, aren't I?" Naruto continued. "As close as you're going to get I suppose." Sasuke smirked when Naruto rolled his eyes light-heartedly. "Well I'm going to start acting like it," the blonde declared in all seriousness now. "I'm going to make this trip fun for us if it kills me."

"And Sakura?"

"I… haven't figured that part out yet. But I'm sure I can find something to help distract me." Sasuke tried to ignore the way Naruto's hand sensually slid down his back, the action painfully suggestive. Sasuke glared at him half heartedly but Naruto just grinned to himself as they reached the dirt road.

* * *

Back at camp everyone seemed to have finished setting up their tents and were ready to start exploring the trails. Naruto got a few weird looks from some of his friends as he marched back into camp, carefully avoiding Sakura's concerned eyes. The atmosphere was tense with such a big elephant in the room. Hinata seemed to be the only one out of the loop, but even she could tell something was going on from all the tense stares and awkward clearing of the throat. "So, we gonna go check this place out or what?" Kiba, bless him, was the first to break the tension. Everyone mumbled in agreement before heading towards the first trail behind their campsite. Naruto, Gaara and Kiba took the liberty of leading the group down the winding trails, giving Sasuke a chance to catch up with Hinata. "I'm glad you could come," Sasuke said sincerely as he flashed her an easy smile. Hinata blushed and looked down at her feet. "I don't think I really fit in here…" she mumbled. Sasuke smirked. "Join the club."

Hinata looked back up and gave him a shy smile of her own before she let her eyes wander to the front of the pack. "Is your roommate okay? He seemed upset when we pulled in." Sasuke considered correcting her, but he didn't want their first attempt at being real friends to be all about his sexual preferences.

He'd mention it later. If the timing seemed appropriate…

"It's kind of a long story..." he said instead. Hinata hummed thoughtfully. "I get the feeling Sakura is somehow involved?"

"You're sharp."

"You know… I talked to her a lot on the way up here. She seemed really excited to see you guys. Whatever happened between the two of them, I'm sure they can work it out. Don't you think so?" Sasuke sighed as he shoved his hands in his pockets and looked up ahead. He found the back of Naruto's head happily chatting with Kiba while Ino and Sakura lingered behind. "I don't know," Sasuke said honestly. "But for their sake, I hope so."

Ino's words echoed through Sasuke's head, reminding him that Naruto had probably been stressing over his relationship (or lack there of) with Sakura, the entire time they've been together. Sasuke meant what he said. He wanted them to work it out, but to what extent? He couldn't deny that he was still a little jealous of her. Naruto and Sakura had history. The brief and generally unpleasant history that Sasuke and Naruto shared was almost laughable compared to theirs. Not to mention this was someone Naruto had slept with. Sasuke wasn't wrong to feel uncomfortable by this fact. He had no interest in 'staking his claim' or making Sakura feel unwelcome, but he couldn't force away his feelings of animosity towards her. Sasuke was trying to start a good foundation for their new romantic relationship. If Naruto was still thinking about his ex girlfriend, they'll never be able to move past it and focus on them, _together_.

* * *

Eventually, the group of young adults met a fork in the trail that started a lively debate about which path to take. Kiba wanted to go up the hill because he apparently was an endless ball of energy. Ino wanted to go down the middle because it looked like an easier walk than the others. And Sasuke wanted to go to the left because he had this bizarre theory that the closer they were to the ocean, the smaller the chance they would run into a bear or any other wild animal intending to harm them. "Why don't we split up?" Naruto suggested while spinning himself around a tree. "They all must meet up eventually, right?"

Everyone split up into groups. Naruto went with Sasuke down the left. Kiba and Gaara went up the hill. And the three girls went down the middle. Sakura started like she was going to follow Naruto, but she decided against it and quickly followed after Hinata and Ino instead. "So what do you think?" Naruto asked Sasuke once they were out of ear shot of the others. "Did I done good?" A smile pulled at the corner of Sasuke's lips as Naruto walked beside him, grinning madly. "Yeah Naruto. You done good." Sasuke's praise only seemed to make Naruto's grin wider. "Man, this is the life." Naruto bent down and picked up a branch to use as a walking stick while Sasuke hurried to keep up with him. "Out in the fresh air, nio responsibilities. Just me with my best buds and my boyfriend. Doesn't get much better than this." Sasuke sighed in a huff after tripping over a root in the ground. "If you say so." Naruto was a few steps ahead of him, but turned around and started walking backwards so he could look at his face. "You aren't still pissed about Sakura, are you?" Sasuke tried not to sound offended. "I was never pissed. You're the one who brought it up."

"Fair point, but I just want to make sure we're good. That she's not gonna get between us or whatever. Cause, you know, that would really suck…" It may not have been the most eloquent declaration, but the sentiment was real.

Sasuke's face softened as Naruto closed the distance between them. The Uchiha wrapped his arms around Naruto's neck and quickly kissed his cheek. Naruto smiled when they locked eyes. "We're good," Sasuke promised. "If you ever need backup, just let me know." Naruto chuckled before leaning in and stealing a chaste kiss. "Duly noted. And really, you have nothing to worry about. Sakura is a part of my past and you… well… You're part of my future. Maybe. Hopefully…"

Sasuke couldn't help but laugh at Naruto's sheepish grin. It didn't take anything away from Naruto's words, but it made Sasuke a little more comfortable knowing Naruto had a hard time expressing himself too. "I get it, Naruto. Really I do. And as far as Sakura goes," Sasuke paused for a moment, choosing his next words carefully. "Just— do what you have to do, alright? Whatever it is, I promise I won't get mad." Naruto seemed to consider this for a minute before reaching down and lacing his fingers with Sasuke's. "And I promise not to do anything to make you mad. Deal?" Sasuke nodded. "Deal." The two smiled at each other before leaning in for another kiss.

Naruto was glad Sasuke seemed to get the message. The last thing he wanted was for Sasuke to feel threatened by Sakura's presence. He really didn't know what he was going to do about Sakura. As much as he may want to, he couldn't just ignore her all weekend. Besides, he said it himself. He was going to be a mature adult, and if that meant talking to her about what went down, then he was determined to do it with a clear head. He still couldn't relax completely knowing this talk was inevitable, but he tried his hardest to mask it with a smile. Sasuke could sense his anxiety and allowed them to walk the rest of the way in a comfortable silence; his hand squeezing Naruto's just a little bit tighter as they went.

* * *

The trails never met up with the others like Naruto had hoped so the two of them decided to head back to camp. Naruto would never admit it, but Sasuke knew he must have gotten them lost at least twice before finding the campsite. By the time they had all made it back, it was close to 2 pm. The girls put out a few snacks and a couple of beers before suggesting a trip to the beach. While everyone gathered their beach equipment had headed into their tents to change, Sakura asked Kiba if she could borrow a pump to blow up her inner tube. Kiba looked extremely uncomfortable, which was a rare thing for him. He glanced in Naruto's direction, almost as if he was looking for permission to speak with her. He was, actually.

Kiba was Naruto's best friend and he was always on his side. He had no idea what was allowed in this kind of situation before lines were crossed.

Naruto didn't respond verbally, but shrugged instead before ducking into his and Sasuke's tent to change. Naruto insisted that he and Sasuke leave their shirts in the tent out of convenience, but Sasuke knew Naruto well enough at this point to know he had an ulterior motive. Staying true to his word, Sasuke did his damndest to ignore the way Naruto would blatantly check him out every time he would turn his back. If the blonde was going to make this difficult for him then Sasuke would give it everything he's got to not give in. He honestly didn't know how he was going to survive the night with him in an enclosed space, but he'd cross that bridge when he got to it.

For now, his only mission was to get to the beach without pitching a different kind of 'tent'.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading everyone! If you enjoyed this chapter you know what to do! ;D See you in part 3!


	3. Camping Extravaganza: Part 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3 is here! I hope you all enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or anything related to it. Alls I gots is my own plotssss.

The trek to the beach was filled with lively chit chat and playful banter. Naruto was still avoiding talking to Sakura like the plague but he seemed distracted enough by his friends to not be bothered by her. On the way over Sasuke struck up a conversation with Gaara. Other than Shikamaru, the Uchiha felt he could connect with Gaara the most out of everyone in the group. Gaara was extremely intelligent which sometimes got over looked by his silence. Sasuke wasn't going to lie; the dude was a little scary. But he could understand why Naruto liked hanging out with him. It was always nice to have a rational, levelheaded person to talk to. Even if said person could paralyze you with a single glance.

Sasuke not-so-subtly brought up the Naruto and Sakura dilemma hoping Gaara could provide him with some helpful insight. Naruto and Sasuke's relationship was still relatively fresh. Which in this case meant Sasuke didn't know who Naruto had told. He knew Kiba had found out. Obviously Sasuke had told Itachi. Naruto's parents knew as well. Everyone else was left to their own speculations. Sasuke didn't think he and Naruto had been particularly 'showy' when it came to their relationship. Sasuke really wasn't comfortable with PDA, and Naruto respected that, only ever touching Sasuke when they were alone. The Uchiha wasn't bothered by the secrecy. In fact, he thought it to be helpful. They were still figuring each other out, trying to create some kind of routine between them. Why complicate things by bringing in other people's opinions? As long as they were both comfortable, Sasuke saw nothing wrong with taking their time in coming out as a couple. Regardless of Gaara's knowledge of their relationship, Sasuke saw no harm in seeking his opinion on the matter.

Gaara claimed he was staying out of it but Sasuke could sense he was on Naruto's side, as he should be. The red head's only advice was to stay out of it and let them handle it on their own.

Sasuke didn't consider himself to be someone who meddled in other people's affairs, but it was different when it involved someone he cared about. The thought of talking to Sakura himself had crossed his mind more than once after she had arrived, but something kept him at bay. Sasuke felt like he went through hell and back to be with Naruto and he couldn't stand the thought of it all coming to an end because of his impulsive jealousy. In a roundabout way, he suspected Gaara was telling him to butt out because it was none of his business. And yes, at the time of the 'incident', Sasuke had no involvement in Naruto's relationship with Sakura. But now she was affecting his own relationship with the blonde and it just wasn't right.

Sasuke was unfairly caught in the middle of a feud between exs. Naruto was his boyfriend which made his involvement inevitable. And who knows. Maybe Sakura blames him for Naruto not wanting her back. After all, Sasuke himself had told Sakura to let him go. He was already a part of this mess, but at the same time he felt he shouldn't be. At the end of all this pointless agonizing, Sasuke realized it was just that. _Pointless_. At the end of the day, it all came down to Naruto and what he wanted. All Sasuke could do was hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.

When Naruto looked over his shoulder and gave Sasuke a softer, more affection smile than all the others he had shown his friends, Sasuke felt a little more optimistic that perhaps the odds would be in their favour.

Only time would tell.

* * *

The beach was exceptionally busy filled with the afternoon crowd. Parents watched from their beach chairs and blankets as their kids built sand castles and happily splashed around in the water. They didn't have the greatest weather and the sun was undoubtedly missed, but the sky was still blue and showed no signs of rain so they decided to be grateful for what they were given.

Everyone set down their bags and beach supplies before pulling out their towels and lying them down in the sand. "I never get tired of that smell," Naruto said as he inhaled deeply through his nose. "I hate salt water," Ino complained as she stripped out of her clothes to reveal a plain purple bikini top and matching bottoms. "I'm not really a fan either," Sakura agreed as she sat down cross legged on her pink flowery towel. Until now she had kept her opinions mostly to herself or between her and Ino. Naruto assumed she was trying to keep a low profile. Now, however, she seemed confident enough to speak up. "Last summer Naruto and I went with his parents to this lake house and the water was... was, uh-" Sakura suddenly stopped short when she noticed Naruto staring at her. Not quite a glare but not particularly encouraging her to continue either. Kiba eye'd the two of them warily before returning to unpack his things. "It was nice," Sakura finished lamely before essentially buttoning her lip and staring down into her lap. Ino looked like she was ready to pop Naruto in the nose but Naruto was focused solely on Sasuke now.

The Uchiha flashed him the hint of a smile but it was hardly reassuring or comforting. Sadly, it was all Sasuke could offer him at the moment.

"Are we going to swim or what?" Gaara rarely spoke up and tried to initiate a new activity, but everyone seemed thankful for the distraction. Especially Sakura. "Last one in does the dishes tonight!" Kiba announced before taking off towards the ocean. Gaara was the only one who actually chased after him. Not because he enjoyed such childish acts. He just wanted to beat Kiba at his own game and rub it in his face later.

Naruto chuckled to himself before falling in step with Sasuke and gradually making their way down the beach. Hinata also stuck pretty close to Sasuke, which he didn't mind really. After all, he was the only one she really knew. Unsurprisingly, Ino and Sakura stayed behind.

"You ever get the feeling people are talking about you behind your back?" Naruto asked sarcastically as he gestured over his shoulder with a flick of his head. Sasuke looked behind them and, sure enough, Ino and Sakura were blatantly whispering to each other while looking in their direction. "We're still having fun, right?" Naruto sounded more hopeful than anything. "Oh yes. Nothing screams 'fun' more than choking on salt water and cutting your bare feet on barnacles." Sasuke just barely missed stepping directly onto said barnacles as he said this, earning an amused smirk from Naruto. "Would you like me to carry you?" Naruto had asked quietly enough so only Sasuke could hear. He had only said it to tease him but Sasuke actually considered it for a split second, making Naruto laugh fully this time. Once again, Naruto was hushed as he spoke. "Come on, babe. Let's get _wet_." Naruto had said it in such a sexual way that Sasuke couldn't help but snort in amusement. Naruto grinned playfully as Sasuke and Hinata followed him into the water.

Kiba and Gaara were in the middle of a lively debate about who had gotten there first, which had somehow escalated into Gaara low-key trying to drown Kiba. Naruto seemed uninterested as he dived into the clear waters and popped back up again, feeling refreshed. Hinata wandered around the shoreline by herself looking for starfish.

Sasuke stopped at about his thighs and just walked around, keeping an eye on where he was stepping. Naruto floated on his back and encouraged Sasuke to just take the plunge and join him. Sasuke absentmindedly waved him off as a couple of crabs scurried past his feet. Eventually Sasuke stepped into a field of seaweed that squished between his toes and tickled his feet. It felt disgusting and Sasuke quickly moved to escape the feeling. Unbeknownst to Sasuke, he was heading right for a drop off hidden by the seaweed. Naruto watched as Sasuke took a step and sunk into the water, all but the crown of his head getting drenched. Sasuke quickly popped back up to the sound of Naruto's hysterical laughter. "Way to take the plunge there, Sasuke!" he laughed from his belly. Sasuke knew it was juvenile but that didn't stop him from splashing Naruto with the intent to physically harm him.

Despite a few minutes of pouting on Sasuke's part, everything else was smooth sailing. The boys played a game of water football with the beach ball, Hinata acting as referee, that Naruto and Kiba ended up winning. The teams were hardly fair considering they were the only two who were actually athletic. Gaara resorted to drowning again when Kiba's boasting became tiresome, to which Naruto and Sasuke turned a blind eye and decided to head back for a snack.

An hour went by of the friends alternating between swimming and resting where their equipment was set up. The three girls were in the middle of constructing a marvellous sandcastle while Naruto wandered around the beach looking for anything they could use to decorate. Sasuke sat in his chair quite happily reading his book while Gaara napped on his towel a few feet away. Sasuke would admit it. He liked the beach. He felt completely relaxed for the first time since Sakura had shown up. There was something so peaceful about the sound of the waves hitting the beach and the wind blowing in the trees. Sasuke realized that Naruto didn't need to promise him fun and excitement. As long as he had this, he was content.

His bubble of serenity was suddenly popped when he caught Kiba in the peripheral of his vision army crawling through the sand towards Gaara's sleeping body. Kiba locked eyes with Sasuke and brought his finger to his lips, signalling for Sasuke to keep quiet.

The Uchiha watched with uncertainty as Kiba silently crept to Gaara's side and lifted the elastic band on the red heads swim trunks. Kiba brought his closed fist to the entrance of Gaara's lifted swim trunks and opened his fist before hastily pulling his hand away. Almost immediately Gaara shot up and started jumping around, wildly clawing at his trunks. "HEY LOOK! GAARA HAS CRABS!" Kiba screamed at the top of his lungs, gaining the attention of more than a few pissed off looking parents. The commotion was enough to distract Naruto and the girls from their construction work long enough to witness Gaara shaking out almost a dozen crabs from his crotch.

The girls started giggling uncontrollably when the last tiny crab fell to the ground. Even Sasuke couldn't suppress a smile as Gaara's murderous eyes landed on Kiba who had practically doubled over in laughter. His laughter quickly died off, however, when Gaara charged at him in fury. "NARRRUUUTOOO HEEEEELLLLLP!" Kiba flailed his arms wildly as Gaara chased him down the beach, knowing fully well that if he was caught he would suffer a fate worse than death. Chuckling, Naruto shouted after him, "Sorry, buddy! You're on your own!"

"YOU DICK!"

That grabbed the attention of almost every single person on the beach, and after receiving dozens of irate glares from families with young children, the gang decided it was time to pack up and return to their campsite before there was a riot.

By the time Gaara and Kiba finally showed up everyone had already changed and were sitting around the campfire. Gaara looked no happier than the last time they had seen him but seemed satisfied when Kiba winced painfully before he sat down. "Don't ask…" The brunette grumbled miserably when he received curious looks from his friends.

The incident was never mentioned again.

"Imma head to the bathroom really quick. Why don't you guys get out the rackets and birdies. I'll challenge ya to a badminton tournament," Naruto suggested as he walked backwards out of the campsite. Everyone seemed receptive to the idea and started looking for the required equipment. It wasn't until they found the birdies hidden in the back of Kiba's car did Sasuke realize that Sakura must have followed Naruto out of the campsite. He tried not to let it bug him as Kiba bragged about his 'mad skills' in this game. But he couldn't stop himself from impulsively looking over his shoulder, hoping Naruto would come back.

* * *

It was only about a 5 minute walk to the nearest toilet and Naruto had been fully aware for the past 3 minutes that he was being followed. He tried to ignore her, as per usual, but it was becoming increasingly difficult with her practically stepping on his heels. "You're really going to follow me all the way to the porta-potty aren't you?" Naruto asked indifferently, keeping his eyes forward and his walk purposeful. Sakura was caught off guard by the sudden acknowledgment and struggled for a moment to compose herself. "Can we talk?" she asked quietly. "While I'm taking a piss? I don't think so."

"Naruto, come on. Can't we talk about this?" Naruto subconsciously quickened his pace. Sakura was right on his tail. "Broken record, Sakura. I've said my bit."

"That's right. You have. But I haven't. Naruto." Sakura's small hand gripped at Naruto's arm, stopping him dead in his tracks. Sakura came around to stand in front of him and meet his eyes. She still looked scared, but she was fighting through her fear to make a point. "We've been friends for years. Don't you think the least you can do is hear my side of the story?" Naruto scoffed. "The least I can do? I don't owe you anything."

"But _I_ owe _you_ an explanation. You think it's all black and white but it isn't that simple! There's so much more to it."

"Jeez. What is it with you girls," Naruto laughed humourlessly. "Why can't you see that I just want to forget it and move on? It doesn't bother me anymore!"

" _Naruto._ "

" _Fine_. Yes, okay? It bothers me. But so what!? I don't want to talk about it anymore!" Naruto made like he was going to stomp off but Sakura blocked his path. "I was-"

"I know. You were _scared_ ," Naruto cut her off. "Moving too fast, falling too hard. Blah blah blah. You told me that already." Sakura's eyes glistened with unshed tears before she looked down at her feet, a sign of submission. "I know it's not an excuse but you have to believe me. I am so _so_ sorry for hurting you, Naruto."

"They're just words, Sakura."

"Why are you being like this!? Ino said you-"

"I'm sure she did. And you know what? I meant it when I said I would try to get along with you. But if there's even the slightest chance of us ever being friends again you have got to give me my space and not intrude on what was supposed to be a fun weekend with my friends!" Naruto's words had clearly left the pinkette feeling insulted. " _Intrude?_ They're my friends too!"

"No. You lost those connections when you decided to screw me over and sleep with someone else!"

"I'm trying to fix it!" It was then Naruto noticed a few people in their campsites looking out onto the road where he and Sakura were currently yelling at each other. For fear of being kicked out, Naruto took three deep breaths to calm himself before lowering his voice. "You know what? It doesn't even matter anymore. You know why? Because I'm not heartbroken. How could I be? I'm in love with one of the most brilliant, fascinating people I have ever met. And I owe it all to you, Sakura. So thanks but I'm good." Sakura immediately opened her mouth to question the blonde further but Naruto quickly turned on his heels and continued down the dirt road.

He was thankful to hear her footsteps heading in the opposite direction.

* * *

When Naruto made it back to the campsite he couldn't help but notice how chummy Kiba and Hinata seemed to be in the short time it took him to go to the bathroom. Kiba appeared to be coaching Hinata on the best way to hit the birdie with her racket. Even going so far as to stand behind her and put his hands over hers, guiding her through the motions. Naruto couldn't help but smirk when Hinata smiled shyly down at her feet when Kiba complimented her on her swing. Looks like they weren't going to need Naruto's help after all. Now all that was left was to sit back and enjoy the show.

Naruto could feel Sasuke's eyes on him but thankfully the Uchiha was smart enough not to ask how he was doing. If he had, Naruto wasn't sure he would know how to respond.

Naruto took no pleasure is yelling at Sakura. He hated being mean and he hated himself even more for sinking to such a level. Despite everything that happened between them, there was still a big part of Naruto that wished they could just go back to being friends. Without a doubt, Sakura had been his closest female friend. Just like Kiba was his closest male friend. The two had met each other in high school and had been together ever since. Naruto couldn't just make himself forget years and years of a close friendship. He knew the logical thing to do was to just accept the way things are and move on like he kept telling everyone he wanted to do. But the nostalgic side of him couldn't let go. Not yet, anyway.

And Sakura's constant presence definitely wasn't helping.

The rest of the afternoon seemed to fly by and before they knew it it was already dark. Sasuke had been keeping an eye on his boyfriend throughout the night and when Naruto passed up lighting the fire, Sasuke knew his talk with Sakura must have been a major bust. He wished he knew how to make the blonde feel better but it seemed Naruto was content with pretending he was fine. The two decided to turn in around 10:45 pm. They silently changed into their pyjama pants before zipping up their tent and slipping into their individual sleeping bags. Naruto had his back to Sasuke when he let out a sigh and said goodnight. Sasuke gazed at the back of his head for a moment before reaching over and grabbing his shoulder. Sasuke gently urged Naruto onto his back, to which Naruto allowed, and sidled up next to him, resting his head on the blonde's chest. This time it was a content sound that left Naruto's lips as he wrapped his arms around Sasuke's warm body.

Naruto didn't know how things were going to play out between him and Sakura, but this... _This_ was solid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading guys! The next chapter should be the last part of the Camping Extravaganza. But don't worry, the story isn't over yet. ;D As always comments and kudos are greatly appreciated! :)


	4. Camping Extravaganza: Part 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp. I done fucked up guys. I thought I had posted this chapter a long time ago... but obviously that wasn't the case... I'm such an air head. I hope you can forgive me DX I promise to pay more attention in the future! Again, I'm very sorry for the wait.
> 
>  
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or anything related to it. Alls I gots is my own plotssss.

 

 

The next morning, Sasuke woke up to the sound of birds chirping and the quiet murmurs coming from other early risers around the campsite. Sasuke glanced down at his watch and sighed as he read the time. 7:30. Even when the Uchiha wanted to sleep in, he could never break himself out of his routine of waking up early. It was helpful at times when he needed to get ready for classes, but frustrating when he wanted to catch a few extra hours of sleep. Like now.

Naruto was still passed out beside him, now lying flat on his stomach with half of his face buried into the pillows. Sasuke smiled briefly before carefully slipping out from under the blonde's arm and wrestling his way out of the sleeping bag. Sasuke hadn't been uncomfortable last night, but a cheap air mattress paled in comparison to the bed waiting for him at home. Warmth didn't seem to be an issue considering Naruto had been pressed up against him all night. It was definitely a plus, seeing as how chilly it was this morning. Sasuke couldn't even remember the last person he had slept in the same bed with before he met Naruto. It was probably Itachi, which Sasuke knew wasn't healthy at all. Naruto hadn't seemed interested in Sasuke's past relationships, and even if he was, there really wasn't much to tell.

If someone had told Sasuke a couple of months ago that he'd be sharing his own bed with his boyfriend whom he loved dearly, Sasuke would have probably sneered at them and walked away.

Sasuke had always been picky about his belongings and that included his bed. He never thought about what it would be like waking up to someone next to him under the sheets. Sasuke liked to think he had made a lot of progress since they started dating.

He hadn't completely changed though.

Back at the apartment, he and Naruto were still living in separate rooms. It's not that Sasuke didn't want to be with Naruto as much as possible. He just wanted to keep his space his space. They still saw each other everyday and even took turns sleeping in each others beds. Some nights they'd be in Naruto's room and the rest they'd spend in Sasuke's. Thankfully, Naruto seemed to understand Sasuke without him having to say a word and happily agreed to this arrangement. Still, he hoped that one day Sasuke would feel comfortable in sharing a room with him.

Naruto was always ready to take it one step further and sometimes he forgot that not everybody moves at the same pace. Too much too fast would only complicate things between them. And more than anything, Naruto wanted Sasuke to feel completely comfortable in their relationship.

If the Uchiha asked him to wait, then he would wait. Probably a lot longer than he was willing to admit out loud.

Sasuke zipped up his jacket before stepping out as quietly as he could through the tents entrance. He was surprised to see Gaara shuffling around the fire pit collecting kindling to start a fire. "Can't sleep?" Sasuke asked as he approached him from behind. Unfazed, Gaara pulled out a lighter and started a small flame. "Kiba talks in his sleep," he said in monotone. Sasuke smirked before pulling up a chair and warming himself in front of the fire. "You?" Sasuke shrugged. "Morning person." Gaara nodded before pulling up a chair of his own next to Sasuke's.

The two sat in comfortable silence for a good 5 minutes before Gaara decided to break it. "You and Naruto seem pretty close now." He had said this casually, but already Sasuke felt tense. The Uchiha was still new to this whole 'group of misfits' thing. He had hoped Naruto would be the one to tell them. After all, they were his friends first. But now it seemed unavoidable. Gaara was smart. Of course he would notice a shift in their relationship. The only question was, how much had he noticed?

Sasuke cleared his throat and visibly squirmed in his chair when Gaara's eyes landed on him. Sasuke was still trying to think of a response when Gaara spoke again. "That guy needs all the help he can get. Keep an eye on him for me, would ya?" The hint of what Sasuke could only identify as a smile ghosted over the red heads face.

It was at that moment Sasuke realized he didn't have to respond.

The Uchiha instantly relaxed and wordlessly thanked Gaara for not pushing him on the subject. The two shared some sort of silent agreement before returning their attention to the fire and getting warm.

* * *

Around 9:45 everyone else started to wake up and gather around the fire. They ate cereal for breakfast, got dressed and argued for half an hour about their next planned activity. During the lively debate, Naruto got up to get a drink from the water cooler and simultaneously escape from Kiba's persistent pleas to go for a bike ride. Seeming to give up on any kind of discretion, Sakura immediately got up and followed Naruto over to the cooler. Sasuke was able to concentrate long enough to suggest they all just do their own thing for awhile, but he quickly lost interest when he saw Sakura urge Naruto behind one of the cars.

Sasuke could still see Naruto's face and knew right away the blonde wasn't happy. Sakura must have said something unexpected because the next minute Naruto looked surprised. Sakura continued to speak with him for another minute or so before Ino called out for her. With one last bob of her head Sakura patted Naruto's shoulder and walked back to her friend. Naruto stood there staring at his feet before sighing and running his fingers through his hair.

Sasuke was really starting to hate that look of uncertainty on his boyfriends face. The frown didn't suit Naruto. He was much better off smiling.

Eventually everyone wandered off to do as they pleased, as Sasuke had suggested, leaving Naruto and Sasuke alone on the beach. The two walked down the shore line talking about nothing in particular when Sasuke spotted a beached starfish stuck on its back. He bent down and picked it up, admiring the vivid purple it was coloured before letting it slide back into the ocean. When Sasuke turned back around, Naruto had disappeared.

It didn't take long for Sasuke to spot the blonde lying flat on his back, much like the starfish, a couple of feet away from the shoreline. He was using both of his hands for a pillow as he stared up into the sky and watched the clouds float by over head. Sasuke sat down next to him in the sand, cross legged, and joined in the cloud watching. "This weekend didn't really go as planned, huh?" Sasuke mused as he played with the sand between his fingers. He could hear Naruto scoff beside him. "You can say that again." Sasuke sighed. "I'm sorry. I know this was important to you."

"I'm the one who should be sorry. All I wanted was for you to really get to know them and instead I put you in the most awkward position possible. It sucks." Sasuke looked over at Naruto then and mimicked his frowning face. "It's not your fault. You didn't know," Sasuke said dismissively. "Besides, I can handle Sakura. It's you that seems to have the problem." Naruto's lips curled into an annoyed sneer because he knew the Uchiha was right. "She knows," Naruto found himself replying with. When Sasuke titled his head in confusion, Naruto looked up at him to make eye contact. "About us. She knows."

"Oh."

"I didn't tell her. She just sorta figured it out. That's what she wanted to talk to me about." Sasuke tried to pretend like he was taking all the information in stride but on the inside he was starting to feel anxious. What if Sakura thought Sasuke had been trying to break them up by giving her that advice to let Naruto go? That honestly had never been his intention but from the outside even Sasuke knew it sounded shady.

"Was she mad?" Sasuke asked reluctantly. Naruto shook his head, now looking back up at the sky. "You know, a part of me wishes she was. Maybe then I could let go of some of this anger I have bottled up inside. But she wasn't. She just told me that she supported my 'life style' and she hoped the best for us." Sasuke gave him a dubious look to which Naruto returned. It appeared that Naruto shared Sasuke's skeptisism. "Too good to be true, right?" Naruto asked. Sasuke looked down into his lap. "She must really care about you," he said. "Yeah," Naruto sighed. "I guess she does."

Hardly a beat went by before Sasuke felt a big, warm hand press down on his shoulder. Sasuke let himself be pushed into the sand onto his back before turning his head so he could look into Naruto's eyes. Naruto did the same and smiled, finally bringing a sense of right back into the world. "But you're the one I care about," Naruto said adoringly as he balanced on his elbow, hovering over the Uchiha's face. "I'm going to take care of it. I just need your blessing."

"I already told you." Sasuke rubbed his hand against Naruto's forearm before smiling up at him reassuringly. "Do what makes you happy." Naruto glanced down between their bodies before wiggling his eyebrows suggestively at Sasuke. "I'm already doing what makes me happy," he said with a cheeky grin. Sasuke snorted and rolled his eyes in good nature. "Romantic, Naruto. Really. You've officially swept me off my feet," Sasuke replied sarcastically. Naruto lightly knocked on Sasuke's head with his knuckles, "well, yeah. That's why you're on the ground, silly." Sasuke outright laughed this time and his smiling face was too much for Naruto to resist. The blonde leaned down and kissed Sasuke quickly on the lips before moving back, only to be pulled down again by Sasuke's hand wrapping around the back of his head. Naruto was more than happy to indulge in Sasuke's demand for intimacy.

They kept it slow but earnest. Their lips slid together in a gentle dance, only parting when breathing became a necessity. Naruto doubted a laid-back make out session would lead to hot, passionate love-making on the beach, but he still had the rest of the day to change Sasuke's mind about outdoor sex. Almost as if Sasuke had read his mind, the Uchina pushed Naruto back and smirked at the disappointed look on his boyfriends face. "Nice try, Romeo. You almost had me for a second there." Naruto's eyes lit up in hope. "Really?" he asked brightly. "No. Not at all." Sasuke quickly kissed away Naruto's pout and climbed back onto his feet. Naruto watched as Sasuke extended his hand with a smile. "Come on. Let's head back."

The rest of the day was spent lazing around the campsite. Gaara decided to have a nap in his tent while Kiba started up a game of bocce ball with Hinata. Naruto had given his best friend a knowing smirk to which Kiba responded with a stealthy flip of his middle finger when Hinata wasn't looking. The rest of them huddled around the camp fire and chatted for awhile before deciding to make some lunch. Sasuke didn't know when it had happened, but he now felt completely comfortable around Naruto's— their friends.

He'd have to get used to saying that.

They all seemed to accept Sasuke with open arms, and Sasuke had no problems with them either. He and Kiba had something going on between them. Call it a friendly rivalry. At first, Ino had been a little overwhelming with all her talking and flirting. Now, if Ino did make a suggestive comment, it seemed more playful than anything else, and Sasuke didn't mind listening to her talk. So long as the topic of shoes was avoided. Even Hinata seemed to be fitting in. She and Sasuke had bonded over the weekend, not nessicerally from talking, but just from being there for each other. When they got back home, Sasuke was determined to keep their friendship going. Naruto had been right. He couldn't spend the rest of his life being a shut in with no friends. Sasuke used to think that being alone was a good thing, but Naruto had opened his eyes to a completely new perspective. It wasn't so bad having people to joke with and talk to. Who knows? Maybe one day Sasuke would be relying on these people to cheer him up when he was down.

Maybe not Kiba, but everyone else was definitely a possibility.

* * *

Naruto waited until it got dark and he had the distraction of dinner to make his move. He tapped Sakura on the shoulder and asked if she would follow him to his car. Surprised by the request, Sakura nodded hesitantly and followed behind. Naruto unlocked the doors and climbed into the driver's seat, gesturing for Sakura to join him in the passenger seat. When she did, Naruto took a deep breath and stared out the windshield, his eyes narrowed in thought. "Okay. Here's the deal," he said. Voice all business. "I'm the one who pushed us to go out in the first place. And for that I'm sorry because you obviously weren't ready to make that transition."

"Naruto-" Sakura tried to cut in but Naruto raised his hand and gently cut her off. "Just- let me finish. Sakura, we were friends first. Shouldn't you have been able to tell me it wasn't working? We used to tell each other everything. I get that it was different between us, but I didn't change. I would have listened. I would have understood. I just wish you could have had more faith in me." Naruto was looking at her now. His voice wasn't harsh like before. He was tired of being angry.

He just wanted Sakura to hear him. _Really_ hear him and listen to what he had to say. Otherwise, he'd never be able to let go.

Sakura hung her head and let her gaze wander to her lap. "I know... I should have put more faith in you. I was just so scared of losing what we had. Like you said, we were friends. And we were good at being friends. We never should have-" Sakura abruptly stopped talking and looked up at Naruto, worried that she had hurt his feeling. The corner of Naruto's mouth lifted up into a tight smile. "Dated? Yeah, you're right. Things were fine the way they were. I guess it just seemed like the logical thing to do. But Sakura, just because we were close doesn't mean I can forget what you did. Regardless of whether or not we should have been together, you betrayed me and everything that we stand for. I just can't trust you anymore."

Sakura looked physically pained by his words but she nodded anyway. There was nothing left for her to argue with. Naruto had made up his mind.

"But," the blonde continued carefully when Sakura looked up at him. "Being mad at you is affecting my relationship with Sasuke so… If you promise to never bring it up again, I'll try to move past it." Sakura's eyes lit up almost immediately as a wide grin spread across her face. "Yes! Yes, of course! I'll never talk about it again. I swear!" Despite Sakura's enthusiasm to comply, Naruto still wasn't smiling. "You know we can't go back to how it was, right?" Sakura's excitement deflated a bit, but she kept her sad smile in place. "I know," she said. And Naruto believed she truly understood that.

They couldn't just pretend that nothing happened between them. It would be some serious uncharted territory for the both of them, going from friends to lovers to enemies to— well, whatever they were now. It was strange, but Naruto felt like a weight had already been lifted off his shoulders. He didn't know how things would turn out between the two of them, but even if it didn't work and they ended up going their separate ways, at least he could do so with a clear conscience.

When Naruto returned to the group he immediately sat down beside Sasuke and took his hand. Sasuke questioned him with his eyes but Naruto just smiled and kissed his knuckles.

No one cared. They had all figured it out a long time ago anyway.

After Naruto added a couple logs to the fire everyone grabbed a cup of hot chocolate and played a couple rounds of cards. After winning for the third time in a row, Gaara was nicknamed "The Shark" by an enraged Kiba because of his thirst for blood while playing. The gang decided to turn in when the death threats started again.

Naruto climbed into his sleeping bag and made himself comfortable on his back while Sasuke stood in an awkward bending position at the foot of the mattress. Naruto raised his eyebrow curiously when Sasuke continued to stare at him. "You good?" The Uchiha asked eventually. Naruto smiled and reached out to pull Sasuke down onto the mattress. "Mhmm," Naruto hummed before rolling onto his side so he could face Sasuke. "All good."

"And Sakura?"

"Not really thinking about her right now." Naruto pulled Sasuke closer and grinned mischievously. Sasuke's eyes wandered down to Naruto's lips and in a brief moment of weakness he found himself melting into the blonde's embrace. With an annoyed huff, mostly aimed at himself, Sasuke pushed Naruto back and straddled his waist. "Fine. But just a little bit." Naruto laughed as Sasuke reached down to pull of his night shirt. "What does that even mean?"

"I don't know. Now shut up and take your pants off."

* * *

The next morning everyone was packed up and ready to go around noon. Kiba had spent the whole morning helping Hinata collecting her things which had apparently paid off, because before climbing into Sakura's car, Hinata had handed him a piece of paper with her phone number scribbled on it. Kiba's shit eating grin was the last thing Naruto saw of his best friend before Kiba and Gaara drove out of the campsite. Why those two had decided to drive together, Naruto would never understand.

After saying their goodbyes to the girls Naruto and Sasuke headed for their car. Naruto climbed in and started the engine, but Sasuke was stopped by a gentle weight on his shoulder. "Hey, Sasuke." Sasuke turned around and came face to face with Sakura. She was smiling, thankfully, which put Sasuke at ease. "I just wanted to say no hard feelings. And if you'd let me, I'd really like to be your friend." Sasuke glanced back at Naruto in the car and saw that he was watching them.

The Uchiha was finally starting to understand that Sakura wasn't a threat to him. If Naruto could forgive and forget, then Sasuke could too. "I'll see you around," Sasuke decided to say with a polite nod. Sakura was more than willing to accept this as Sasuke's way of telling her things were cool between them. After an overly excited goodbye from the pinkette, Sasuke climbed into Naruto's car and strapped himself in. After waiting 30 seconds for the car to start moving, Sasuke looked over at Naruto and found the blonde had been staring at him. "What?" Naruto lightly shook his head and looked out the windshield with a fond smile on his lips.

"Nothing. Let's go home."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay. Now we're back on track. Until the next one guys. *Apologetic hugs*

**Author's Note:**

> Jumping right into the drama this time hahah. Don't worry too much. Good things are ahead. Thanks so much for reading you guys. I really hope you liked this. If you wanna read more please leave me a comment and drop some kudos ;D Until next time...?


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